In the heart of the West Virginia hills, at the edge of the Little Kanawha River Basin, is Oil Creek with its several tributaries. It was first settled at the beginning of the 1800s. At the confluence of Clover Fork & Oil Creek the town of Orlando developed in the late 1800s and withered in the mid 1900s. For two hundred years a small community has loved, worked, fought dreamed and worshiped here and raised new generations to do the same. Here are some of the stories of that community.

Saturday, April 01, 2006

'Till the Ocean Wears Rubber Pants

"What children did for amusement? Work. At our house we had to get up early to churn butter. That was a big seller with the passengers along with the eggs and milk. We had about 50 chestnut trees on our property and we picked and sold the chestnuts.”1 I heard my mother's voice when I read Edith Blake's reply to the question I had asked so often as a child.

Edith Blake was a child during Orlando's heyday: a generation older than my mother. Ma's chores were not geared toward the railroad because the trains no longer stopped in Orlando in the 1930s. I don't doubt for a minute that life was very hard, for reasons I can't even imagine. But wasn't there something good about her Orlando childhood?

After she died I found tucked away in a drawer her autograph book from high school. Lots of friends had written once or twice in her book. Here are some of the entries. I hope Ma doesn't mind.

Sophomore 1838-1939 In Algebra Dec. 16, 1938Dear Mary, Always remember me as one of your many friends. I am a little nervous now because it won't be long before we'll have to give the play, "A Pair of County Kids." We did have lots of fun practicing, didn't we?Remember these lines so fewMay be the last I write to you,So keep these when death do part us,You may say the hand that wrote it, sleeps in clay.A FriendMildred Clay

May 1, 1940Back Again. Could it be true that school is so near out and we have to part for another summer- Remember our times Walking to school together How dumb we acted- Especially me.Yours until the Pacific Ocean wears rubber pants to keep its bottom dry.“Married or Single, Best Wishes” Edith ShortHi “Nick"2Just to jot my name the second time.Remember the fun we have together. Remember the roast at Posey Run and well just everything.Until the Atlantic Ocean Wears rubber pants to keep its bottom dry.Helen

Study Hall 10:11 May 1, 1940Dear Mary,Remember the fun we had in B.H.S. For one serving the “Junior – Senior” banquet when we were Freshmans.Also the class tournaments.I wish you much success in life. Sue For more entries from Mom's autograph book, see April 9, 2006. 1. The Weston Democrat Wed, Nov 2, 1977. Orlando: Cinderella City writen by Mary Mazza. 2. All the kids and cousins had nicknames. My mother's was Nicodemus.

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About Me

My mother grew up along the banks of Oil Creek. Her family has lived there since the early 1800s. They built a community in the wilderness. Before that, some of their parents had fought the Indians, the English and the French for the land. My father (the son of German immigrants to Detroit) taught me from my very earliest memory to love and respect this exciting and honored heritage.
I live in Detroit. As a kid I spent two weeks each summer in Orlando. So, while my heart might be in the right place, the rest of me is far away.
As we all share our stories, facts, thoughts, documents and photos about the Oil Creek watershed- Oil Creek, Dumpling Run, Three Lick, Posey Run, Road Run, McCauly Run, Clover Fork etc., Orlando's story is being revealed, and its more exciting than any of us knew! If you have ties to Orlando, the story will not be complete without YOUR contribution. Contact us soon!